Abu dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), under the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), has announced that it will continue to accept nominations for the fourth edition of the Sard Al Thahab Award until August 31, 2026. This initiative is part of the Centre's efforts to enhance the presence of the Arabic language, boost cultural activities, and solidify Abu Dhabi's status as a global hub for creativity and knowledge.
According to Emirates News Agency, prospective candidates are encouraged to visit the ALC website to select the category that matches their work, complete the application form, and submit their entries digitally in PDF format. This digital submission is a specific requirement for this edition. Applications must include a comprehensive CV detailing the candidate's academic and creative background, a passport copy, and a personal photograph. The Centre emphasizes the importance of meeting the award's technical and procedural criteria to uphold the quality and creativity standards that Sard Al Thahab seeks to achieve. For queries, applicants can contact the ALC at [email protected].
The Sard Al Thahab Award, featuring six categories, aims to honor narrators of biographies and popular narratives while supporting storytelling arts that creatively highlight Emirati and Arab heritage. The Short Story category is divided into sections for unpublished and published stories, recognizing works that offer originality and creatively reinterpret folk heritage. Other categories include Popular Narratives, Narrators, Illustrated Story, and Emirati Narration, which celebrate diverse storytelling forms and reinforce Emirati cultural values.
Works must be submitted in Arabic, except for the Emirati Narration category, which also accepts other languages. Each participant can submit one work per edition, provided it hasn't won another award that year. Previous entries may be resubmitted if they meet specific conditions. Nominations for the Emirati Narration category require submission through academic, research, and cultural bodies or the award's Higher Committee.
The award does not permit granting for works that have previously won major Arab or international prizes unless resubmitted with a new application after the required time period. Sard Al Thahab continues to support storytelling arts, honor narrators, and promote folk narratives as part of the UAE's commitment to heritage preservation and cultural promotion.
Since its inception in 2023, the award has seen growing participation, with entries from 37 countries in past editions, reflecting its growing stature as a regional and global platform for narrative arts.
